1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for harvesting a segment of a biological vessel and a method by which the device is used to harvest the biological vessel segment.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of surgical applications require the harvesting of a segment of a biological vessel, such as a vein or artery, in one location of a patient's body for use in a surgical application in a second location of the body. The most common example is the harvesting of the saphenous vein for use in multiple vessel coronary artery bypass surgery. For this application, it is necessary to provide a section of vein that is approximately the size of the coronary arteries in a condition in which the intimal lining is in a healthy native condition. At the present time, this is accomplished by making an incision in the skin, identifying the saphenous vein in the leg, separating the vein from adjacent adventitial tissues, ligating or cauterizing tributary veins and delivering the vein. Subsequently, the vein is divided into segments of appropriate length for the purpose of creating anastomotic channels from the aorta to an occluded coronary artery(s) distal to an area of occlusion. This procedure is laborious, time consuming and results in considerable discomfort in the calf region of the leg and is a significant part of the general morbidity following coronary bypass surgery. This effect is not trivial since there are approximately 500,000 such operations annually in the United States alone.
A need currently exists for a minimally invasive biological vessel harvesting device which can be used to harvest segments of biological vessels for later use in surgical procedures while causing a minimal degree of trauma to the patient. A further need exists for a biological vessel harvesting device which can be rapidly and effectively used, thereby reducing the surgeon time and operating room costs associated with harvesting a segment of a biological vessel.